Roast – Sunday and any day

Roast – Sunday and any day

I love a roast. I love the act of preparing food, getting everything ready and then putting it in the oven and letting it slowly do its thing. I love how there can be frenzied chaos before entertaining, getting everything ready and then (breathe), the reprieve as you surrender to the oven. I love leftovers. I love the reminder remnants of a lovely meal at the ready for a delicious snack or sarmie or as part of another impromptu meal. I really do love using all there is to use and making the roast – be it chicken, lamb or beef last and turn into many meals. The roast in this week’s meat box is an aitchbone, a rather old fashioned cut of beef from the rump area. It actually has the rump bone running through it, but this has been removed by the team at Braeside. The meat is coarser in texture and quite lean and it benefits from slow and long cooking. I will be cooking this sometime this weekend and this is roughly how I’ll do it.

Ingredients:

joint of beef

rosemary sprigs

garlic

olive oil and/or tallow (or dripping if you have)

carrots

onions

stock

salt & pepper

Method:

There are certain guidelines that should never be overlooked when cooking meat – like letting the meat come to room temperature and drying the meat off. Simple things that make the world of difference. Do them.

I will use my iron casserole, but a heavy duty, flame proof roasting tin will work perfectly. Put the casserole on a high heat and add a generous spoon of dripping or alternative till very hot. Season the beef before sealing and browning it on all sides. Remove from the casserole and set aside. Turn the heat down low. Set the oven to 180°. Chop the onion and carrots – not too thinly so they don’t disintegrate while cooking. Add to the pot and stir in the juices. Season lightly and add a few sprigs of rosemary and crushed clove of garlic. Place the aitchbone on top of the veg and add a cup of veggie or beef stock. Top the joint with some more rosemary, put on the lid or cover with foil and put into the oven for about two hours. Halfway through the cooking, remove from the oven and baste before completing the cooking. Once completed, remove from the casserole and let it rest while you scoop out the veggies to serve on the side and turn the cooking liquid into a gravy. Either just reduce and season it or add the smallest amount of cornflour and maybe a splash of wine before cooking it and allowing it to thicken nicely. I like adding a pat of butter to finish the gravy and turn it into a glossy liquor of seduction. Some roast veggies would be smashing with this, as of course would roast potatoes. I need green with a roast, either some green beans or broccoli and if you’re feeling decadent and have the time and courage, try a little Yorksire pudding. Yum! Enjoy it with some gorgeous mustard or a grating of horseradish if you have. And don’t forget to have it cold on a sarmie or in a salad the next day. Enjoy!